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Daily National Intelligencer
Washington, District Of Columbia
What is this article about?
In New York Justice's Court, a jury awarded landlord $10 in a rent dispute over a haunted house in Cherry Street. Tenant claimed supernatural events made it untenantable; landlord knew of reputation but didn't disclose.
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New-York, August 26.
JUSTICE'S COURT.
Somers, Sampson, for plaintiff.
vs.
Woodbridge, S. Anthon, for defendant.
This cause was tried in the justice's court yesterday before a jury.
The plaintiff claimed a quarter's rent of a house in Cherry street, due on the first instant, amounting to forty-two dollars or thereabouts.
The defence was, that the house was haunted by ghosts, and therefore untenantable by man.
The defendant proved, that he hired and took possession of the house on the first of May, not knowing that it had the reputation of being inhabited by supernatural beings: that soon after a burning candle, placed on a mantlepiece, went out without any assignable cause! that on being again lighted, it went out in a similar way! that a third attempt terminated in the same manner, with this addition, that on the extinguishment of the candle, the witness, who was the person holding it, was violently seized by the arm (by an invisible hand) and turned completely around! that the family, being alarmed by such unaccountable events, and also by finding in closets about the house and elsewhere, "dead men's bones," and understanding that the house had the reputation of being haunted before the family went in, and while unoccupied, the defendant had deserted the house, because his family, not fond of having co-tenants of such a description, could not live in it with peace and without fear! It appears that the plaintiff, before he hired the house to defendant, knew the reputation of his house, but did not communicate it to the tenant. Some witnesses deposed, that while the house was unoccupied, they had several times observed a "blue flame" on the same mantlepiece, which, though it continued burning, communicated no light to the windows—that this attracted the attention of people passing, gathered numbers of spectators about the house and fixed upon it the reputation of a haunted house. The jury retired under the charge of the court, and returned with a verdict of ten dollars as a compensation to plaintiff for the time defendant had occupied his house before he was routed by the ghosts!
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Where did it happen?
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
New York
Event Date
August 26
Key Persons
Outcome
verdict of ten dollars as a compensation to plaintiff for the time defendant had occupied his house before he was routed by the ghosts
Event Details
The plaintiff claimed a quarter's rent of a house in Cherry street, due on the first instant, amounting to forty-two dollars or thereabouts. The defence was, that the house was haunted by ghosts, and therefore untenantable by man. The defendant proved that he hired and took possession on the first of May, not knowing the reputation, and experienced supernatural events including candles extinguishing, being seized by an invisible hand, finding dead men's bones, and prior observations of a blue flame. The plaintiff knew the reputation but did not communicate it. The cause was tried before a jury.